Cylindrical trunk.



0.1". HUDNALL. QYLINDRIGAL TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJI, 1908 Patented Sept. 14, 1909. w

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. HUDNALL, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

GYLINDRIGAL TRUNK.

Application filed August 11, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HUDNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cylindrical Trunks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art-to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the transportation and storage of personal effects, and to this end has more particular reference to trunks of cylindrical form for traveling or storage purposes, and to a novel and economical arrangement of the interior compartments thereof.

For its object my present invention contemplates the production of an improved form and arrangement of parts whereby is produced a trunk of superior strength, durability and compactness; a trunk which can be packed, unpacked or rearranged -with great facility; one without horizontal trays to obstruct the view and interfere with the ready removal of contents; and a trunk easily moved up and down stairs, into and out of wagons without lifting. F

The objects above stated and others are obtainable as direct results of certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which characterize the present invention and form the subj ect-matter'of the present application for Letters-Patent.

This invention will now be described and pointed out in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this application, and whereon like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved trunk with lid open; Fig. 2, is a plan view of parts disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of one adjustable cylindrical partition detached. Fig. 4 a side elevation of one removable packing partition detached, and Fig. 5 is a similar view representing in side elevation one of the adjustable cylindrical partitions, also detached.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon 1 indicates the cylindrical trunk-body which may be made of any material, and formed in any approved manner, preference however, being given to crimped Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14., 1909.

Serial No. 448,035.

or pressed sheet iron or fiber. At top and bottom the body 1 is rigidly reinforced by surrounding bands 2, 3, respectively, preferably of metal; and in the case of heavy trunks said bands may be of comparatively thick material such as merchant iron the better to assist a rolling movement of the structure. Within body 1 are located two or more concentric vertical partitions 4, 5, also by preference of light sheet metal, fiber or cardboard, the rear lowermost edges whereof are firmly secured to the bottom 6 by agency of angle irons 7 as shown by Fig. 2. These inner and outer circular partitions 4c and 5 respectively, are each provided, as shown by Fig. 5, with metallic staples or brackets 8- upon one edge, and near the opposite edge are perforated by two or more vertical rows of openings 9, 10, adapted to receive said staples 8, as shown by Fig. 3, whereupon the said partitions are retained in operative form by means of a vertically removable locking bolt 11 passed through the staples aforesaid in engagement with one or the other sets of said perforations 9 or 10 according to the predetermined diameter of the circular partition.

Arranged horizontally within the adjustable inner circular partition 1 are extensible crossed straps 12, which may be employed to divide the intervening space into two or more parts conveniently serving as hat receptacles. concentric walls of inner and outer partitions 1, 5 are positioned removable packing sheets 13, by preference of relatively light flexible card-board or fiber and perforated at frequent points by strap openings 14 in conjunction with which straps or elastic bands 15 are employed to secure or spread upon said removable sheets clothing or other articles of merchandise to be packed.

Hinged to the upper periphery of body 1, as shown by Fig. 1, is a trunk-lid or closure 16 formed of material corresponding with said body 1 and the bottom 6, and provided with a depending circumferential flange 17 adapted when closed to register with the inner circumference of body 1. The said lid 16 is reinforced by a rectangular frame 18, which also forms four outer compartments 19 and one inner compartment 20, the latter being crossed and guarded by straps 21, thusproducing a convenient shirt pocket.

Having thus described my invention its WVhile interposed between the use and advantages may be briefly referred to as follows: In packing a trunk of above description the inner and outer concentric partitions 1 and 5 are relatively adjusted to meet existing requirements, the projecting staples 8 being secured in one or the other of the vertical series of perforations 9 or 10 by agency of the locking bolt 11. Obviously, however, there may be a greater or less number of said perforations without departing from the spirit of this invention, and likewise other locking means, such as individual buttons, may be substituted for the means herein shown. As thus arranged the said adjustable circular partitions 4 and 5 form vertical compartments for the reception of articles of merchandise and clothing.

Moreover, it is provided that effects to be packed, may be secured to the removable flexible packing sheets or stretchers 13 by agency of straps or bands 15, whereupon said packed sheets are introduced on edge within the confines of the cylindrical body or casing 1, where, owing to their flexibility they readily accommodate themselves to the partially packed condition of the trunk. Thus the user is enabled to see at a glance the entire contents of the trunk, to quickly identify and remove any particular article or articles without the necessity of completely unpacking, and at the same time the labor of packing a trunk thus arranged and equipped is greatly reduced. It will be noted also that the central compartment formed by the circular vertical partition 4 forms a convenient and safe hat receptacle, and may, if desired, be divided horizontally as by straps 12 to provide two or more such receptacles. In like manner various other changes and modifications in the location and arrangement of parts as above set forth may be made, and the manner of utilizing the various compartments may be varied indefinitely without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the following claims: I

1. In a trunk the combination with a body, a bottom and a hinged lid, of an interior partition of variable diameter having ends overlapping at one side of the trunk center, and means at the opposite side of the trunk of a cylindrical interior partition, ends overlapping at one side of the trunk center, and

means for securing said partition to the trunk bottom at the opposite side of its center, substantially as described.

3. In a trunk the combination with a cy lindrical body, a bottom and a-hingedilid,

of cylindrical interior partitions concentricf ally arranged within said body each having ends overlapping at one side of the trunk center, means for adjustablysecuring said overlapped ends of each partition, and means for securing said partitions tothe trunk bottom at one side of the trunk center, substantially as described.

4. In a trunk the combination with a cylindrical body, a bottom and a hinged lid, of a cylindrical interior partition of variable diameter having ends overlapping at one side of the trunk center,1a hasp connection for said partition ends, and means for securing said partition to the trunk bottom at one side of the trunk center, substantially as described. is

5. In a trunk the combination with a cylindrical body, a bottom, and a hinged lid,

of a cylindrical interior partition of variable diameter having ends overlapping at one side .of the trunk center, a staple upon one of said partition ends, openings in the other of said ends to receive said staple, a bolt for locking said staple in one of said openings, and means for securing the partition to the trunk bottom at one side of the trunk center, substantially as described.

6. In a trunk the combination with a cylindrical body, a corresponding bottom and a corresponding hinged lid, of a rectangular frame secured within said hinged lid, and adjustable retaining bands crossing said frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. HUDNALL. WVitnesses H. It. HUDNALL, M. E. HUDNALL. 

